Dog
Group:
Toy 
Pekingese Champions
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Pronunciation:
pee-kuh-neez
Breed Description:
The Pekingese breed of dog is a toy sized breed of dog that should be robust and compact. They should be well-proportioned with a body that is slightly longer than they are tall. The overall appearance should be of a muscular dog that is low to the ground and wide. The head should be flat with a short muzzle and heart shaped, hanging ears. The tail should be carried over the back.
The coat of the Pekingese should have a double coat with a short, dense undercoat and a topcoat that is long. The top coat should be very dense and there should be feathering on the legs and toes along with a mane around the neck. The ears and tail should also have a long fringe. Pekingese can be a number of colors including brindle, red, black and tan, white, and fawn. They can be both a solid color or a parti-color.
Temperament:
The Pekingese breed of dog is known for being a bold and lively little dog that is usually very happy. They are not the "standard" companion pet since the Pekingese can be an excellent guard dog and can be quite protective of those in their home. With people they know, the breed is very affectionate and they love spending time with their owners. They can be very stubborn, especially when they feel they know better, which is often. The breed does very well with older children but they can be snappy with younger. In addition, this is a breed that needs ample socialization for them to accept other dogs and pets.
Height:
The average height for a Pekingese is between 6 to 9 inches.
Weight:
The average weight for a Pekingese is between 8 to 10 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Pekingese breed of dog is considered to have average health, however, they do have a number of problems. Due to their short muzzles, the breed is prone to heat exhaustoin and other respiratory problems. Other health concerns with this breed are Cataracts, Ectopic Cilia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Fold Dermatitis, Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca, Brachycephalic Syndrome, Cleft Palate, Patellar Luxation,Hydrocephalus, Distichiasis,Exposure Keratopathy Syndrome, Cryptorchidism, Mitral Valve Disease, Intervertebral Disk Disease and Entropion.
Living Conditions:
The Pekingese breed of dog is versatile when it comes to living conditions and they can live in both apartments and homes with yards. They should not live outdoors and do best when they are inside with their family as a companion dog. In addition, care should be given to this dog during hot weather since they can suffer from heat exhaustion.
Exercise:
The Pekingese breed of dog is an active breed that requires between 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day. Generally, two good walks will meet their needs but it is also important to give them an opportunity for off leash exercise as well.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Pekingese breed of dog can be easy or difficult to groom and it mainly depends on whether you keep your dog in their show coat or keep it in a puppy coat. If you are keeping it in a puppy coat, you should expect to have it clipped every six to eight weeks. Brushing only needs to be done on a weekly basis and bathing should be done when necessary. If you are keeping it in a full show coat, expect a lot more work. Brushing should be done on a daily basis to remove matting and you will need to pin up the hair above the eyes. The coat will need to be bathed regularly, usually once every month or two and you will have to trim the hair around the feet, ears and anus to prevent matting. Regardless of whether you clip your dog or not, the face should be washed on a daily basis. Nails should be trimmed once or twice a month and ears should be cleaned weekly.
Origin:
The Pekingese breed of dog is an ancient breed that is believed to have developed over 2000 years ago in China. While there is evidence that the Pekingese was a beloved breed of Chinese nobility, there is very little evidence of how the breed was developed or even maintained. In fact, the breed was so beloved by the Chinese that commoners would bow to the dogs and only those in China owned them. The breed was finally discovered in 1860 when British Troops invaded the Imperial Palace in China and discovered a number of the small dogs. While the breed was used as a companion breed, it was also used as a palace guard dog, however, once it arrived in England, it became a favorite companion for many nobles. The breed remained rare, however, by the early 1900's, the breed managed to become popular across the world and not just in China. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
